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Jets At Golden Knights: 3 Keys To The Game

Friday's game starts at 7:30 PM. It can be seen on AT&T SportsNet. This is Cox channels 313 (SD) and 1313 (HD), DIRECTV channel 684, U-verse channels 757 (SD) and 1757 (HD), and CenturyLink channels 760 (SD) and 1760 (HD).

After a 1-4-1 road trip to the east coast, which saw Vegas' record drop from 8-1-0 to 9-5-1, a return to T-Mobile Arena couldn't come sooner.

Especially since after tonight's game vs. the Winnipeg Jets, the Golden Knights head back out to play two more games on the road, while 8 of the next 14 will be away from the friendly confines of Las Vegas.

The challenge the Jets pose is significant, too.

The two teams enter tonight with 19 points apiece, tied for third most in the Western Conference.

Vegas lost 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, and went into a shootout before losing 4-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

While the margin in these games was incredibly thin, the Golden Knights nearly got blown out at the beginning of both.

On Tuesday, the Golden Knights were down 2-0 10:55 into the game, and only had three shots in the first period. Toronto also scored twice within the game's first 10 minutes on Monday and was ahead 3-1 through 20 minutes.

Although the Golden Knights only allowed a combined one goal during the second and third period of these games, and battled back and even earned a point in the standings, the NHL just isn't a league where you can put yourself behind the 8-Ball like this.

For Maxime Lagace, the fourth string goalie for the Golden Knights who's been thrust into the spotlight since Oscar Dansk went down to injury on October 29, he's going to have to make big saves early in this game.

In the end, what really matters is how many you give up in the entire game.

But for Lagace, and the Golden Knights, he'll have to step up early in tonight's game to allow Vegas to play a game, rather than chase a game, for the first time since last week.

3. High-Flying Jets

Since moving to Winnipeg from Atlanta in 2011, the Jets have made the playoffs only one time. And they were swept in the first round.

The 2017-18 Jets aren't these Jets.

4-0-1 in its last five games, Winnipeg has been rolling ever since 24-year-old goalie Connor Hellebuyck has assumed the starting role over veteran free agent signing Steve Mason.

Hellebuyck is 8-0-2, and is second in the league with a .936 save percentage and third with a 2.12 goals-against average.

Coupled with a pair of forwards in Blake Wheeler (21 points in 14 games) and Mark Scheifele (18 points in 14 games) who are having league leader-type seasons, Winnipeg has an 8-3-3 record, good for third in the Western Conference.